Need some help..
I have an AMD Phennom II X4 processor. I had I had cut back on core usage because of a heat problem, set it to use 75% of the CPU and it started to use just 3 of the cores. I have fixed the heating problem and set it back to 100% but it is still just using 3 of the 4 cores. Am I missing a setting somewhere??

<< Jim >>

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Retired Air Force

Have you changed the app_config.xml or app_info.xml files

No I haven't messed with either one of the files.
<< Jim >>

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Member
B-52 Stratofortress
Association
Retired Air Force

Is your graphics card is using one full CPU or less?

Is your graphics card is using one full CPU or less?

Yo Jim, the above is probably right, your x4 has GTX 260. So it might be gpu hogging the last core.

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Thanks, how do I check this and limit the GPU use of the core? I know I have to update the GPU, the 260 is non Fermi and can cause issues, but until then is there anything I can do?

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Member
B-52 Stratofortress
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Retired Air Force

Despite the use of the word "hogging" in the last post, it is ideal to allow at least a single core free to feed the GPU. The GPU will only use as much of the free core as it needs. There is no way to limit the usage.

Make a file in Notepad named app_config.xml

Copy/paste the lines below into it, and you should get Boinc to run 4 CPU and one GPU (I'm not sure you should run more than one WU on the GPU at a time):

<app_config>
<app>
<name>astropulse_v7</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>setiathome_v8</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>setiathome_v7</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

That will slow it down. I was using 0.555 usage. Then the CPU was at 95 to 100 percent. Backed usage to 0.3 and the CPU went down to 85% average use.

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The main purpose for my version is to get 4 CPU + 1 GPU crunching, after that experiments can be carried out to optimize GPU while still running 4 CPU.

I have a FX4170 with 3 cores maxed out. The 4th is feeding a GPU and doing what ever else I want to run.

Check BOINC manager. Having to use my memory. On my mobile. Check preferences to see if CPU% use is 100. If set to 99 it will use 3 cores. Tbar showed me that.

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Make a file in Notepad named app_config.xml

Copy/paste the lines below into it, and you should get Boinc to run 4 CPU and one GPU (I'm not sure you should run more than one WU on the GPU at a time):

<app_config>
<app>
<name>astropulse_v7</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>setiathome_v8</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>setiathome_v7</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

Note this config there is the line

<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>

This denotes how many total units that will be done regardless of how you set the client (seti/Bionc)

also you can drop this too as setiathome v7 is being fazed out .

<app>
<name>setiathome_v7</name>
<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>

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Note this config there is the line

<max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent>

This denotes how many total units that will be done regardless of how you set the client (seti/Bionc)

Actually the <max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent> set the max number og concurrent wu, but if you set Boinc to "use at most 50% of the CPU", you'd only get 3 running wu's.

(I use
<max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
on my I-7 and with "Use at most 40% CPU" and have 3 CPU and 3 GPU running concurrently - to prevent the CPU from running too hot)

Actually the <max_concurrent>5</max_concurrent> set the max number og concurrent wu, but if you set Boinc to "use at most 50% of the CPU", you'd only get 3 running wu's.

Then you got different effects than my Intel Quaddy .

50% cpu usage client , zero cores being used

maxconcurrent set to 3

gpu set for 0.33

only 3 units on the gpu where being done

ajust maxconcurrent to 4

4 units start client still set to 50% so not shore why you got no cpu units starting when maxconcurrent set to 9 and Client set to 50% you should have 3 GPU and a 1/2 your cores what ever your I7 has ? less 1 for the GPU

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Strange - hmmmm.
If I keep my app_config.xml unchanged with <max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent> and set my "Use at most __ % of the CPU" to 49 I have 3 CPU and 3 GPU.
If I change that figure to 50% I get 4 CPU and 3 GPU.
All on my I-7 8 core CPU.
My "Use at most __ % CPU-time" is 100% at all times.

If I set "Use at most __ % of the CPU" to 100%, then I get 7 CPU and 3 GPU (and a very hot CPU throttling down)

Strange - hmmmm.
If I keep my app_config.xml unchanged with <max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent> and set my "Use at most __ % of the CPU" to 49 I have 3 CPU and 3 GPU.
If I change that figure to 50% I get 4 CPU and 3 GPU.
All on my I-7 8 core CPU.
My "Use at most __ % CPU-time" is 100% at all times.

Not strange it's correct .

49% effectively turns one core off

8 cores = 1 core at 12.5%

I have a AMD FX 8 cores system

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Not strange it's correct .

49% effectively turns one core off

true - but my <max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent> is unchanged all the time, so that will only set a max, not a fixed, which was what I read you said.

Also remember 1 core is for the GPU so you only have a max of 7 cores available to do work on CPU

so that means 7 CPU

Plus I core for 3 GPU units

= max of 10 on your system , with those settings you'll do 6

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Not strange it's correct .

49% effectively turns one core off



true - but my <max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent> is unchanged all the time, so that will only set a max, not a fixed, which was what I read you said.

sorry misunderstanding . having to many in the max concurrent wont limit things but not having enough will for your client and overrides the client setting

If you stop the GPU the client settings take over up to maxconcurrent

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Still - my I-5 (4-cores) can run 4 CPU and 3 GPU if I set:
<max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.3</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>

and 100% CPU in Boinc

using:
<max_concurrent>9</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.4</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>

will give me 3 CPU and 3 GPU as 3*0.4 > 1